


A Stranger and a Storm

by Phandiction



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, Fluffy, One Shot, Protective Phil, Scared Dan Howell, Storms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-11-28 15:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11421243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phandiction/pseuds/Phandiction
Summary: Phil comforts Dan during a terrifying storm





	A Stranger and a Storm

The wind howled outside his window. The rain fell like stones against the roof. The storm had been going on for a while but only now did it turn violent. Dan had never experienced a storm like this before. Thunder clapping loud enough to rock the house and make the sky outside nearly as dark as night. Only it was even more terrifying than the night because the clouds rolled and tumbled. They seemed to be running along the sky.

                Dan hugged his knees to his chest and pushed himself as far against the couch cushions as possible. He closed his eyes and rocked back and forth, an occasional whine squeezing through his constricted throat. Tears were trying to make their way past his eyes and down his cheeks but he wouldn’t let them. He swallowed and sniffed and refused to blink, pushing them away. _I’m twenty-four years old! How can I still be afraid of a storm!?_ Whatever the reason, he’d always been afraid of the flashing lights that came from lightening, the rumbling of the thunder, the constant pounding of rain. Most of all though, it was experiencing it alone. Dan had lived along for a couple of years now and his fear of storms had only worsened.

                Dan’s phone dinged beside him and he grabbed with a trembling hand. It was a text from his friend PJ. “ _How are you doing over there buddy? This weather is insane!”_ Dan’s friends knew of his phobia and did their best to comfort him and check up on him.

                _I’m okay I guess…I think I’m going to go over to the neighbors though,_ Dan responded. His neighbors had moved in the same time as him and were about his age. They were a young married couple that traveled often but were kind and funny. Often times Dan went over there for dinner, game nights, and several times now for storms such as this. They weren’t judgmental, they didn’t make him feel stupid of ridiculous. They simply invited him in and distracted him with their hilarious banter and board games. The three of them had gotten quite close.

                _“I think that’s a good idea. See you later, let me know if you need anything.”_

                Dan closed his messages and rubbed his face into his crossed arms, groaning in embarrassment. “It’s just some rain. Rain is good. Rain waters the ground and makes beautiful flowers.” A roar of thunder vibrated through him and he flinched, looking up just in time to see a flash of lightening even through his closed blinds. “Okay, that’s it, I’m going over there.”

                Dan grabbed his phone and zipped up his hoodie, half jogging to his front door and swinging it open. He slammed it shut and took the two steps to his neighbor’s door. He knocked on it roughly, staring at the ground and stepping from foot to foot. He jumped when more thunder sounded. No one came and he banged on it harder.

                A few seconds later the door opened. “I-I-I’m sorry Rose I tried, I just, the storm and-”

                Dan suddenly realized that the figure before him was taller than Rose, and thinner, and…

                Dan jerked his head up. He gasped in horror, taking a step back. “Who are you?!” Dan said in a panic. Standing before was a man. Not Mick, a stranger. Perhaps a few years older than Dan and he had straight black hair cut fairly short, he was tall, slender, and had skin paler than most people. “Why are you in Mick and Rose’s house?!”

                “Um…” The man before him stumbled over his words, clearly taken aback. “My name is Phil. They left on a trip a few days ago and they said I could stay in their house while they were gone. I-I have a key.”

                Dan’s shoulders loosened a little and he felt his cheeks burn. “Oh.” Thunder clapped above them and Dan flinched, huffing angrily at himself. “Sorry to bother you.” Fear bubbled back into his gut. He was going to have to face this storm alone.

                “Wait!” Phil called after him. Dan stopped but didn’t turn, too embaressed. “What did you need? Why did you come over here?”

                “Nothing, never mind.”

                “It couldn’t have been nothing.” Phil laughed lightly. “You said something about the storm and…were you…crying?”

                Dan swung around, humiliation causing his blood to boil. “Maybe I was! It’s none of your business!” Dan twisted the knob on his apartment door and prepared himself to charge in but a hand touched his elbow.

                “Is it the storm?” The strangers voice was so calm and…kind. As if he was worried for Dan. But why would he be? That’s ridiculous. Still, Dan couldn’t deny that even just talking to this stranger was helping his anxiety. “It’s okay if it is. I’m quite frightened myself actually.” Dan turned to look at the man. Phil was scratching his head awkwardly. He seemed genuine. Dan could even see the slightest embarrassment in his eyes from the confession.

                “You are?” Dan whispered, not sure how to reply.

                “Y-yeah. I’ve never seen a storm like this.” Phil took a deep breath, opening his mouth to speak and then stopping. Dan waited patiently and finally the stranger seemed to build up his courage. “If you want…we can…sit together or something. Sometimes it’s just nice to at least be with someone else during a storm like this. That’s why you were coming over, wasn’t it?” Phil met Dan’s eyes.

                Dan stared in shock for a few minutes but his heart flipped hopefully. “Yeah, it does. And yes, I was.”

                “So, would you want to do that?”

If possible, the rain started falling even harder and Dan swallowed. “The storm is supposed to be going on for a while so…yeah. I guess so.”

“Okay.” Phil smiled and the two tentatively walked into Dan’s apartment.

Dan went immediately to the couch, going back to his original fetal position and clutching a pillow against his chest. Phil stood just inside the doorway for a few moments, holding his breath and looking around the small apartment.

“You can sit down.” Dan offered quietly. Phil nodded at him and sat gingerly on the edge of the sofa. Dan watched him. Watched the way his long fingered hands rubbed nervously at his knees, how his brightly colored eyes searched the room, never settling on anything in particular. He kept his back straight and his torso tight.

Phil looked over at Dan, feeling the boy staring at him. Dan looked away quickly, shuffling to push against the couches arm. Finally, the man leaned back and nestled against the sofa. Thunder clapped and Dan gasped, burying his head into the pillow.

“Hey…it’s okay.” Phil said to him. Dan could hear him scooting closer but didn’t lift his head.

“It’s stupid.” Dan mumbled into the pillow. “I’m an adult! Why am I still afraid of things like this, like the dark and storms?

“A lot of people of scared of those things.” Dan flinched when a hand rested lightly on his arm. “I’m serious. It’s more common than you’d think.”

Dan stayed silent for a few minutes. He didn’t want to admit it but the words were comforting, and so was the touch. “You think so?”

“I do. But it will be over soon, I promise.”

Dan huffed. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”

“No, no. I volunteered. I wanted to help. And I didn’t lie before, it really was quite terrifying in there by myself.” He laughed and Dan’s muscles relaxed a little. Sensing his less tense state, Phil moved a little closer. His legs rested against the others and rubbed the boys arm soothingly. Dan sighed again, feeling his eyes get heavy with exhaustion. He’d never fall asleep during a storm though.

The two were quiet for a long time. They listened to the thumping rain and screaming wind. Phil found himself getting tired and a leaned a little against Dan who didn’t reject it in the slightest.

“Here, this will help too.” Phil pulled Dan’s hoodie out from behind his back and it over his head until it almost covered his eyes. “There’s something about warmth and surrounding yourself with comfy things that helps with fear.”

And he was right. With the pillow against his chest, the darkness of the hoodie over his eyes, and the pressure of another warm, comforting human against his side Dan’s heart slowed to just about nothing. He breathed in deeply, slowly. He closed his eyes and grabbed Phil’s arm, tucking it around his waist. A few moments later he felt the man scoot closer to him, lay on his shoulder and hold him.

“Do you like video games?” Dan asked.

Phil smiled. “I do actually.”

“Maybe we can play some.”

“That would be nice.”

But neither of them moved to get up. Pretty soon the storm outside was just background noise. It didn’t sound violent to Dan anymore. How could it when he felt so safe and warm? He heard Phil’s breathing even out against his shoulder, his body slacking against his as he felt asleep. Dan smiled, closing his eyes and drifting off into sleep as well.

**Author's Note:**

> Saw this prompt on phanfic.tumblr.com and decided to write it! Thanks for reading! (This was my first one-shot, I normally only do chaptered fics but this was fun actually)


End file.
